What Is David Stern CFO?
David Stern CFO is a solo fractional CFO practice serving specialty-trade contractors across the United States. Based in Tarrytown, New York, the firm focuses on helping subcontractors—electricians, plumbers, HVAC/mechanical, concrete, masonry, and landscaping contractors—achieve accurate, on-time financial numbers and strategic insight without the overhead of a full-time CFO.
Who It's For
David Stern CFO serves commercial and residential specialty-trade subcontractors who need CFO-level financial guidance but don't have the scale to justify a full-time hire. The firm works with both union and non-union contractors nationwide, delivering services remotely. If you're a contractor owner who is tired of financial statements that don't reflect what's actually happening in the field, David Stern CFO brings construction-specific expertise to interpret your numbers.
The solo model is less ideal for companies that need multiple team members across accounting, controller, and CFO roles, or for businesses that prefer working with a team rather than a single point of contact. Companies with very large or complex operations may also find that a single practitioner has limited bandwidth.
Services Offered
David Stern CFO provides a focused set of services for specialty-trade contractors. Accounting Systems work includes monthly close, software selection and optimization, and workflow design. Financial Planning & Analysis covers KPI development, job profit analysis, cash flow forecasting, estimating support, and budgeting. The firm also offers Financial Training & Education for owners, controllers, project managers, and estimators—helping contractor teams understand financial concepts and use financial data in decision-making. Additional services include bank and bonding liaison support, tax CPA coordination, and software support for tools like Foundation, Vista, Sage 100, QuickBooks, and BuilderTrend.
Pricing & Plans
David Stern CFO does not publicly disclose pricing on its website. As a solo practitioner, engagement costs are typically lower than team-based fractional CFO firms, but the solo model means limited capacity. Monthly retainer structures likely fall in the $2,000–$7,000 range depending on the scope of services and the client's complexity. Prospective clients should contact directly for a custom quote.
Key Strengths
David Stern CFO's primary strength is deep construction and specialty-trade expertise. The firm's focus on subcontractors—not general contractors or developers—means specialized knowledge of the financial dynamics that affect trade businesses: job costing, change orders, retention, and the timing mismatches between field work and payment receipts. The solo model also means direct, uninterrupted access to a senior financial professional without the friction of account management or staff turnover.
The firm's training and education services are also a differentiator. By teaching contractor teams to understand financial concepts, David Stern CFO leaves clients more capable of managing their own finances between engagements—a value-add that distinguishes the practice from pure advisory models.
Common Criticisms
The solo model has inherent limitations. David Stern CFO has finite capacity—a single practitioner can only serve a limited number of clients at once. During peak periods or when a client has urgent needs, the solo model may result in slower response times or limited availability. Companies that need immediate or high-volume financial support may find the single-point-of-contact model constraining.
Additionally, the solo practice may lack the technological infrastructure or integrated tools that larger fractional CFO firms offer. If you need sophisticated real-time dashboards, automated reporting, or multi-entity consolidation, you may need to supplement David Stern CFO's services with additional technology solutions.
How It Compares to Eagle Rock CFO
David Stern CFO operates as a solo practitioner focused on specialty-trade contractors. Eagle Rock CFO provides a complete outsourced finance office with a team that covers outsourced accounting services, controller services, treasury management, and CFO layers for multiple industries.
The key difference is the depth and breadth of coverage. Eagle Rock CFO's team model means multiple people handling different aspects of your finance function—no single point of failure, and no capacity constraints. For contractors who need comprehensive financial operations—not just CFO-level strategic guidance—Eagle Rock CFO's full-stack model provides more complete coverage. David Stern CFO is better suited for contractors who primarily need strategic CFO guidance and already have basic accounting operations in place.
Key Takeaways
- •David Stern CFO is a solo fractional CFO practice serving specialty-trade contractors nationwide.
- •The firm specializes in subcontractors: electrical, plumbing, HVAC, concrete, masonry, landscaping, and more.
- •Services include accounting systems, FP&A, financial training, and software support for construction tools.
- •Remote delivery enables nationwide coverage from the Tarrytown, NY base.
- •Pricing is not publicly available; custom quotes are provided upon contact.
- •Best suited for trade contractors who need strategic CFO guidance and already have basic bookkeeping.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does David Stern CFO offer bookkeeping services or only CFO-level work?
David Stern CFO focuses on fractional CFO services—financial strategy, FP&A, accounting systems, and training. While the firm may coordinate with bookkeeping teams or recommend software, comprehensive bookkeeping is not the core service. Clients typically already have some accounting function in place.
What types of contractors does David Stern CFO work with?
The firm specializes in specialty-trade subcontractors, including electrical, plumbing, HVAC/mechanical, concrete, masonry, and landscaping contractors. Both commercial and residential, union and non-union, are served.
How does the financial training service work?
David Stern CFO offers training for owners, controllers, project managers, and estimators—helping them understand financial statements, use KPIs in decision-making, and apply financial data to field operations. This is particularly valuable for contractors whose teams have historically not been financially literate.
What construction accounting software does David Stern CFO support?
The firm supports multiple construction software platforms including Foundation, Vista (Viewpoint), Sage 100, QuickBooks, and BuilderTrend. Software selection and optimization services are part of the offering.
Can David Stern CFO help with bonding and bank relationships?
Yes. The firm offers bank and bonding liaison support, helping contractors prepare clean financial statements and present their numbers effectively to surety companies and lenders.
Is David Stern CFO available for ongoing monthly engagements?
Yes, the firm's model is built around ongoing fractional CFO relationships with monthly retainers. Project-based work may be available on a limited basis.
How does the solo practice model affect service availability?
As a solo practitioner, David Stern CFO has finite capacity. Clients who need immediate support or have urgent needs may experience delays. Companies with complex or high-volume financial needs may find the solo model limiting compared to a team-based approach.
What size contractor is best suited for David Stern CFO?
Contractors with $3M–$30M in annual revenue appear to be the primary target. Companies below that range may not have the financial complexity to justify fractional CFO services, while much larger contractors may require more resources than a solo practitioner can provide.
See our outsourced controller services and accounting services for what that includes.